piper



' (No Model.)

' E. S. PIPER SEMAPHORIG SIGNAL LIGHT.

Patented Oct. 14, 1884.

a as JM/Ww UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

EDWARD s. PIPER, on rrononro, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ISEMAPHORIC SIGNAL-LIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 306,641, dated October14, 1884-.

Application filed April 17, 1884.

T0 (1% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD SPnNoER-Pr- PER, of the city of Toronto, inthe county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, manufacturer,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Semaphore and otherElevated Signal-Lights; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same. I

The invention relates to certain new and useful improvements insemaphore and other elevated signal-lights; and it consists in thepeculiar combinations and the construction and arrangement of parts, aswill be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 exhibit three different forms of my invention. Figs.4, 5, and 6 show specific details of construction.

In semaphores as now constructed the lamp is contained within a casesupported on the end of a vertical rod or shaft,which is caused torevolve with the movement of the semaphore-arm, so that the lightsexposed on the line shall correspond with the position of the arm of thesemaphore. As these movements are effected very rapidly, particularlywhen the danger-signal is thrown into position, the jar to the lampcontained within, and which moves with, the revolving case is verysevere, sooninjures the lamp, and in some cases the light within thelamp has in this way been put out. This objection is overcome by theadoption of my invention.

As the details of my invention can be considerably varied in theirconstruction and ap plication, I have shown two or three different formswhich suggest how changes may be made without altering the mainprinciple of the invention. 7

In Fig. 1, A is a hollow post, on top of which is fixed a metal case, B,open on its four sides, but provided with a vertical movable jacket, 0,each sideof which is provided with a glass, D, all of which maybe thesame color, or made of glass of contrasting colors. This verticalsliding jacket '0 is connected by the bar E to the pivoted semaphore-armF, which arm is operated by a wire rope, G, or in any other suitablemanner. H is an ordinary hand-lamp suspended within the case B (Nomodel.)

immediately in front of the openings in the said case. As the glasssurrounding the lamp H is white, a clear signal is exhibited. Assumingthe glasses D to be red, a danger-signal is exhibited the moment thatthe semaphore-arm F is thrown out in a horizontal position, as, itwill'be seen, from its connection through the bar E .to the jacket 0,the said jacket will be drawn down over the openings in front of thelamp H by the outwardaction of the arm.

, Although the semaphore-arm F maybe operated in various ways, it is notnecessary for the object of understanding my invention to exhibit morethan one plan. The plan I show consists in connecting the rope G to thepivoted lever I, on the opposite end of which lever is hung the weightJ. As arranged in this figure, the weight J is supposed to be sufficientto counterbalance the semaphore-arm F, so that when the weight J is notsupported in some wayfor instance, by a pin, a, placed below the leverIthe said weight will hold the arm F in a horizontal position, and thejacket 0 will accordingly be held over the openings in the case B. Ifpreferred, the weight J might be arranged so as to hold the arm F downand the jacket 0 up, as indicated in this figure; or the weight might bedispensed with and the jacket 0 made sufficiently heavy tocounterbalance the weight of the arm F, so that the signal'will alwaysflyto danger should the rope G happen to break. I mention these facts;but I do not consider them of any importance, so far as the principle ofmy invention is concerned.

' Fig. 4 shows an outer case, (marked K in Fig. 3.) This case fitsaround the jacket 0, sufficient space between the outer case, K, and theinner metal case, B, being left to allow of the free vertical movementof the jacket 0.

Fig. 5 shows a detail of the case B. It will be noticed thatfour lugs,b, are riveted on the top edge of the outer case, K. These lugs areintended to rest upon the top of the case B, when the outer case, K, isslipped over it. The thickness of these lugs holds the case Ksufficiently far from the case B to leave enough space between the twoto permit the free movement of the jacket G, which, as before stated,surrounds the case B. I

Fig. 3 exhibits the outer case, K, in position, a suitable top, L, beingprovided, and the cases are properly ventilated.

In Fig. 3 I show a lamp, H, lowered near the ground. In this figure itwill be seen that the lamp H is suspended on a chain or rope, M, whichchain or rope M is preferably made endless by having its other endconnected to the bottom of the lamp, after passing over pnlleysone(marked 0) located at or on the top of the case B, the other (marked (Z)being located at the bottom of the post A. From this it will be seenthat the lamp H may be elevated into or lowered from the case withoutthe party operating it being required to ascend to the elevated case B,from which the signals are given. This plan it will be seen affords anopportunity of cleaning and lighting the lamp without the necessity ofascending into the elevated position in which the signal-case B islocated.

I may also draw attention tothe fact that the jacket 0, which containsthe signal-glass, is adjusted entirely independent of the lamp.Consequently the signals may be changed without jarring or in any wayaffecting the burning of the lamp.

In Fig. 6 I show the jacket 0 with double glasses D. \Vhen the jacket 0is made with two rows of glasses, as shown in Fig. 6, there will be noopen space around the lamp, the lower row or glasses being arranged toindicate one set of signals, while the second set of signals will beexhibited by lowering the case G till the upper row or glasses comeopposite to the lamp H.

Fig. 2 shows my in vention applied to a switch. I11 this application thelamp H is carried 011 a rope or chain, M, exactly in the same way asalready described, so that the said lamp may be carried up into thehollow case B (shown in Fig. 2) or lowered from it, for the purposealready mentioned.

\Vhen made for a switch-lamp, the metal case B is simply a metal casehaving an open bottom and provided with the ordinary signalglasses, D. No sliding jacket is necessary, as the case B turns with theswitch-target; but as the lamp H is suspended within the case B from itscenter on a flexible chain, M, no appreciable jar is impartd to the lampby the movement of the target. I have shown the metal case B located ontop of a hollow post, A; but it will of course be understood that asolid post would answer, provided a clear space below the metal case Bis left, so that the lamp H may be raised into or lowered from the saidcase, a hole in the bottom of the case B sufficiently large for theadmission of the lamp being always left. It will also be necessary,although I have not shown any, to provide means for locking the chain M,so that the lamp, when once elevated into position, cannot be lowered orotherwise tampered with.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. A fixed, immovable hollow case, B,having an open bottom, and a pulley, 0, located at its top, incombination with an endless chain, M, one end secured to the top of alantern, and the other end passing over said pulley down the side of thecase and lantern and secured to the bottom of the lantern, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

2. A post, A, provided at the top thereof with hollow case B, incombination with the jacket 0, having glasses D, and connected directlyto the semaphorearm F by the bar E, whereby both jacket and semaphorearmare operated simultaneously, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. The post A, provided with the hollow case B, in combination withthejacket C, semaphore-arm F, connected directly to said jacket by thearm E, the rope G, lever I, and weight J, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

at. A hollow case, B, having an open bottom, and provided with means foradjustably suspending a lamp, H, within it, and having a jacket, 0, withglasses D, arranged to be adj usted in front of the lamp, as specified,in combination with an outer ease, K, designed to surround the jacket 0,and provided with glasses or openings so located as to be in front ofthe lamp II when suspended within the case B.

5. The outer case, K, provided with lugs b, and having glasses Dinserted in it, as specifled, in combination with the hollow case B,provided with a sliding jacket, G, having glasses D, and arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The post A, having the hollow case B secured to the top thereof, thejacket 0, sliding on said case B, and the pivoted semaphore-arm F,connected directly to said jacket by the bar E, in combination with therope G, connected at one end to said arm F, and at the other to thepivoted lever I, the weight J, hung on said lever, and the stop a,secured to said post, sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

Toronto, April 4, 1884.

EDVVD. S. PIPER.

In presence of CHARLES C. BALDWIN, A. OGDEN.

